“I need something to occupy me, and the work won’t wait.”
“I already told you; we’re handling everything just fine. I brought your favorite half-fae to occupy you.” I tapped my elbow into Fyn’s rib cage harder than I intended. He grunted.
Lioran’s eyes narrowed. “I hope you’re not taunting her, Fyn.”
“I would never,” Fyn said as he slid back out the door.
“Sorry he…” Lioran finally looked at me again, but it was different than he had before.
“Can’t help himself,” I cut him off, assessing his glow that had slowly returned overnight. “You look much better.”
“You mean I don’t look awful anymore?” He winced as he laughed, but my smile faded. Visions of crimson on my hands, all over him etched further into my mind. “Aelira? I was joking.”
“I…” My words caught in my throat. “I thought I was going to lose you.”
He gestured at the chair beside his bed, now in its permanent spot for me to visit. “I’m right here…with you.”
The chair embraced me, as exhaustion took over.
“How was training?” He traced the flower tucked behind my ear. I freed it from my hair and held it out to him.
His hand curled around the stem. “You made this flower bloom?”
“And several others.”
“I’ve never made a flower bloom.” He rotated the stem, watching the petals carefully. “What is it?”
“A peony.” Each petal was so fragile. “And I’ve never summoned a sylkren…not that I’d want to.”
“I don’t exactly call them.” He placed the flower back in my palm. “When you arrived, I couldn’t even command it. You were so afraid. I wanted to stop it, but I couldn’t.”
“So, you really didn’t want it to destroy me then?”
“You know I didn’t. If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t have interfered at all. When the riders came for you, when I was injured…I called to the creatures of the land to come to our aide, because I knew I could no longer fight them off myself.”
“And the sylkren responded…like Veylar.”
“Veylar trusts me. The creatures in our world are not always as easily persuaded.”
“When you’re better…can you show me how to try and call an animal?”
He pointed to the window. “Open it.”
“You need your rest.”
He studied me as if he was considering whether he’d listen. Lioran settled back against the pillow and extended his hand. “Open the window.”
My fingers caught on the latch, and I pried it free. The window released from its frame with a loud click. His hand twitched as his eyes closed. A cool breeze jostled his hair.
He winced as sparkling light collected at his fingertips. A dull groan escaped his lips. Her song sounded before she came. A pale-yellow bird, plump and tiny, landed on the windowsill.
“Put your hand out for her,” he whispered.
With his command, I extended my hand toward the window. She stepped into my palm. Her little feet pinched as she nestled into my hand.
“She’s beautiful,” I whispered.
“Almost as beautiful…” he started to speak but groaned as he adjusted himself in the bed. I waited, wanting to hear the words he would have said, but silence hung between us.
